Unveiling the Sun’s 2010-11 MWC hoops postseason honorees

By Ryan Greene

Sunday, March 6, 2011 | 11:30 a.m.

Media members from around the Mountain West Conference this weekend submitted ballots for the league's postseason honorees and award-winners.

The results of the voting will be announced live on The Mtn at 1 p.m. Monday.

But first, as has become a tradition of mine, here is a look at how I voted, accompanied by some explanations along the way. I'm open for (almost) any and (almost) all discussions on my ballot below in the comments section of the page, so fire away.

And remember, voting is supposed to be based on performance in the 16 conference games alone. So keep that in mind.

Here we go …

FIRST TEAM ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST (MWC stats)

• Jimmer Fredette, BYU senior guard (31.4 ppg, 4.3 apg, 43.9 FG%, 42.9 3-pt. FG%, 90.1 FT%)

Um … duh.

• D.J. Gay, San Diego State senior guard (11.6 ppg, 3.6 apg, 1.5 spg)

Last season, Gay learned the ropes after moving over from shooting guard to the point, taking command of a talented supporting cast. This season, he put it all together consistently and flourished. He still had a couple of scoring outbursts (30 points at New Mexico, 20 at UNLV), but Gay's most impressive accomplishment was leading the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.9:1. Without that steadying influence, the Aztecs wouldn't have claimed a share of the MWC regular season title. That's just a fact.

• Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State sophomore forward (14.8 ppg, 11.9 rpg)

He's the league's most versatile threat, hands down. Leonard posted double-doubles in 12 of 16 conference games, developed the touch on his mid-range and outside jumpers and, above all, was the league's most dominant rebounder. His go-get-the-ball-at-all-costs approach to that part of the game is rare in today's game. If he doesn't make the jump to the NBA this summer, I'd be shocked.

• Andy Ogide, Colorado State senior forward (18.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 57.8 FG%)

Ogide was the league's second-leading scorer, its leader in field goal percentage and ranked fourth in rebounds per game. He was the cornerstone of Colorado State's eye-opening turnaround. No-brainer here.

• Malcolm Thomas, San Diego State senior forward (11.4 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.3 bpg)

Thomas is almost as aggressive a rebounder as Leonard, but he is without question the league's most disruptive defensive presence in the paint. He gets the nod for this spot over New Mexico's Drew Gordon simply because his team swept the season series and won the league title. That counts for something in my book.

SECOND TEAM ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST

• Dairese Gary, New Mexico senior guard (15.6 ppg, 5.7 apg, 1.3 spg)

Gary was a first-teamer a year ago, but this spot still isn't too shabby. He helped bring along some young guys around him, still produced strong numbers and played 36.2 minutes a game while battling several nagging injuries. He's the toughest guy in the MWC, and the league will miss him.

• Jackson Emery, BYU senior guard (13.6 ppg, 2.7 spg, 44.5 FG%)

Following a slow start to the regular season, Emery pulled it all together in time for MWC play. He was easily the league's steals leader and played the sidekick role to Fredette well, yet again.

• Tre'Von Willis, UNLV senior guard (14.5 ppg, 3.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 43.4 FG%)

Like Gary, Willis was thrown off by nagging injuries, keeping him from claiming first-team honors for the second consecutive season. But he still produced, and was the driving force behind UNLV's strong finish to the regular season. In the last three games alone, Willis averaged 17.3 points on 19-of-32 shooting, hitting nine of 13 3-point tries. He's heating up at the right time, and that late stretch bumped him from third- to second-team status.

• Brandon Davies, BYU sophomore forward (11.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg)

Last week's season-ending suspension for violating BYU's honor code can't dampen the strides Davies made this season. On the year, he was the team's leading rebounder, its third-leading scorer and his tough interior presence on both ends of the floor added a dimension that the Cougars did not have a year ago. It could cost them in the NCAA tournament if they come across the wrong match-up.

• Drew Gordon, New Mexico junior forward (13.9 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 55.6 FG%)

Though the addition of the talented UCLA transfer didn't produce as many wins as New Mexico had hoped this season, the Lobos' .500 record in league play could hardly be blamed on Gordon alone. He held up his end of the bargain from a production standpoint, and should be the league's most dominant big man next season.

THIRD TEAM ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST

• Hank Thorns Jr., TCU junior guard (11.3 ppg, 8.1)

Yes, Thorns is a bit wild and sometimes vented his frustrations over the team's habitual losing too publicly. But he led the league in minutes played (37.5 mpg) and a 3.3:1 assist-to-turnover ration was stellar.

• Anthony Marshall, UNLV sophomore guard (9.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.3 spg)

Marshall is emerging as one of the league's top backcourt defenders and more well-rounded performers. As his scoring becomes more prolific and consistent, he should move up on this list over the next two seasons.

• Tom Fow, Air Force senior forward (12.0 ppg, 48.8 3-pt. FG%)

Fow was the league's top 3-point gunner by percentage, and a major force behind Air Force emerging from back-to-back seasons in the depths of the MWC standings.

• Chace Stanback, UNLV junior forward (12.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg)

While UNLV's three true big men were each inconsistent at times in the conference season, Stanback could always be counted on as a presence on the boards. Despite his shooting seeing some cold runs, he still was the Rebels' second-leading scorer.

• Billy White, San Diego State senior forward (8.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 50.6 FG%)

White didn't post the numbers some expected this year and was, admittedly, the last guy to make my cut. But considering the deficiencies of some who just missed for this spot, it was logical to give White the nod as a key contributor on a championship club.

Those who just missed …: Utah junior forward Will Clyburn (16.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 44.1 FG%); Colorado State senior forward Travis Franklin (10.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 53.6 FG%); Wyoming sophomore guard Desmar Jackson (14.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 44.1 FG%); Wyoming sophomore forward Amath M'Baye (13.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 49.0 FG%); New Mexico freshman guard Kendall Williams (9.9 ppg, 3.1 apt, 2.6 rpg); Air Force sophomore guard Michael Lyons (13.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 48.6 FG%).

ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST DEFENSIVE TEAM

• Dairese Gary, New Mexico senior guard

• Jackson Emery, BYU senior guard

• Anthony Marshall, UNLV sophomore guard

• Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State sophomore forward

• Malcolm Thomas, San Diego State senior forward

MOUNTAIN WEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Jimmer Fredette, BYU senior guard — Again … duh.

MOUNTAIN WEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Malcolm Thomas, San Diego State senior forward — Second in the league in blocks per game, third in defensive rebounds per game. Nasty combination.

MOUNTAIN WEST NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

• Drew Gordon, New Mexico junior forward — He was named preseason Newcomer of the Year, and there was never a doubt he'd win the real award in the spring.

MOUNTAIN WEST FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

• Kendall Williams, New Mexico freshman guard — Williams came up huge in both wins over BYU and was definitely the best freshman in the Mountain West's thin class this year.

MOUNTAIN WEST SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR

• Derek Brooks, Air Force senior forward — After being a little-used reserve in his first three seasons at the academy, Brooks averaged 9.6 points per game in league play and came up with several clutch plays along the way.

MOUNTAIN WEST COACH OF THE YEAR

• Tim Miles, Colorado State — I know, the Rams lost four of their last five games. And I know, SDSU's Steve Fisher and BYU's Dave Rose have received some National Coach of the Year buzz. But Miles has done so much with so little. He went 0-16 in the league three years ago, and this season went 9-7 and contended for a while for an NCAA tournament bid. He's squeezed every last drop out of a roster much more limited in terms of both raw talent and depth than those of SDSU and BYU, and still, Colorado State will likely end up in the NIT. For a school that was in the college basketball abyss just a couple of years ago, that's one hell of an achievement.